Page 125 of Ruthless with a Rogue
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Derek
Derekshutthedoorto his bedchamber and turned, then froze.His gaze roamed over the small lump in his bed.The Livy-sized lump.
He quietly divested himself of his boots and then padded over to the side of the bed.And just stared.The covers were gathered around her waist, revealing a silk nightdress—one he recognized from the items he’d commissioned from Mrs.Bean.Her golden hair was woven into a plait resting over her shoulder and chest.Small hands were tucked under her cheek, eyelashes fluttering lightly in sleep.
His world lay right there in front of him.
She was his entire world.
He’d come so bloody close to losing her.
His throat bobbed, and his vision blurred over.He blinked it clear and let out an unsteady breath.She looked so innocent, so fragile.And she was, life was.The events of the past month had proven that.But bloody hell, she was strong.Stronger than him.
In a life of unpredictable variables, she was his constant.
He quickly rid himself of his clothes and washed up before returning to bed.He slid beneath the coverlet and nestled as close to her as he dared without waking her.He rested his forehead against hers and enjoyed the simple pleasure of sharing breath with her.
“Derek?”Her sleep-thickened voice whispered over him.
“Yes, love, it’s me.”
He pulled back, and what a sight she was, eyes slowly flitting open, those too-blue irises coming to life like the first light of dawn over a water’s surface as they registered it washimbefore her.Hedid that.He brought her light.He was the reason for the happiness reflecting back at him.
“I tried to stay awake,” she murmured.
Derek softly shushed her.“You didn’t need to do that, love.I’m just overjoyed to have been surprised with you in my bed.”He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.“Go back to sleep.”
She blinked hard, a small frown-line forming between her brows as she came out of the sleep-induced fog.Her hands found his face, cupping his jaw, tracing over his jawline, his ear, down his neck.Like she was confirming he was really before her.“Everything went well?”She dropped her voice to a barely audible whisper.“I was so nervous that something would go wrong.We’ve had such a terrible run of luck—”
Her voice broke off, and he instantly wrapped his arm around her, pulling her flush against him.He tucked her to his chest and buried his nose in her hair, drew in that intoxicating vanilla scent.“I’m well.Everything went as planned.We’re safe now.”
She pressed a soft kiss to his chest, then to his throat, slowly working her way to the line of his jaw.He shivered against her, and his body went pliant when her lips met his.Everything in him eased; all the fear, all the pain, all the shadows—disappeared.Because that’s what Livy did.She took it all away.
He wasn’t foolish enough to think those things would never touch him again.He knew he’d still have dark days, that the fickle bastard that was fate would continue to deal its blows.But with Livy by his side, he’d survive it.
Everything about her kiss spoke to that.It was a promise.Her lips passed over his.She said he’d never be alone again.Her tongue slid over his lips, snuck inside to brush against his.She’d never leave him.Their tongues glided together.Forever.
And once again, Derek was blown away.Kissing Livy was nothing like anything he’d ever experienced before.He could lose himself for eternity like this.The way everything seemed to settle into place the moment her lips met his.How it was tender and loving, yet heady and simmering.How all he wanted to do was take his time, yet every nerve in his body screamed to hurry, to devour her.
She hitched one of her legs over his hip and wiggled into him.And then stilled.She pulled back and narrowed her eyes at him.“Are you naked?”
He grinned.“I sleep naked, love.”
She bit her lip and slowly rolled it back and forth, then let it drag free.“How fortuitous,” she whispered.
Eyes glued to that plush pink flesh, he swallowed heavily.“Is that so?”he whispered back.
She ground against him, and he let out a soft hiss.Her eyes darkened.“Mmhmm.”
That was all it took to take him from half-hard to aching.His hands found her nightgown by her thighs, and he gathered the fabric and slowly slid the silk up her body.His fingers explored every new inch of skin he revealed, every dip and curve.Which apparently was too slow for his queen because she sat up and pulled the nightdress over her head.
Derek groaned.Fucking hell.She was perfection.
“Now we’re both naked.”She shot him a cheeky, satisfied smile.
Christ, she was adorable too.
